AGE OF CHANCE

Reith examines gambling's enduring appeal, exploring its complex relation to our underlying conceptions of the world, and to the social and cultural backgrounds of those who fall under its spell. She traces the origins of gambling in the ancient world and follows its manifestation in games as diverse as the patolli of the Aztecs and the Internet. Investigating subjective experiences and attitudes of individual players, she found that the deliberate seeking out of risk, a disregard for money, and superstitious beliefs in luck and destiny seem to typify gamblers throughout history and across cultures. 207 pgs, paperback, 2006